The Saints started at a good pace and were well worth their early lead.

Luke Shaw, who was playing in an advanced left-wing position, hit a cross to the far post where Jose Fonte was on hand to put the hosts in front.

Southampton were in control and should have gone further ahead when debutant Sam Gallagher missed a sitter from six-yards out.

Southampton went in at the break one up, but whatever Arsene Wenger said to his team at half-time worked as they were on terms courtesy of a classy backheel from Oliver Giroud as things went mad.

Santi Cazorla put the visitors ahead four minutes after Giroud's leveler, Ozil playing the Spaniard through to fire home.

Cazorla and Giroud celebrate Arsenal's second goal [STUART ROBINSON]

But the Arsenal fans had hardly stopped celebrating when it was Southampton fans' turn to go ballistic.

A minute later Jay Rodriguez capitalised on Bacary Sagna's lapse in concentration to feed Adam Lallana and even it up again.

Arsenal came closest to winning it as Ozil ran from his own half, all the way into the Saints box, where his effort took a deflection off Fonte and onto the post.

While the teams couldn't be separated in terms of the scoreline, Southampton ended the game a man up after Mathieu Flamini's two-footed lunge on Morgan Schneiderlin got the Frenchman a deserved red card.